Flower of China
by Kath Klein
Summary: In medieval China, the women were treated as objects for the men. However the destination of the sweet Sakura transforms her into a brave soldier, proving the arrogant commander that the fragile sex nor always is the feminine one. UA. CHAPTER III ON LINE
1. Chapter I

**Flower of China**

_By Kath Klein_

_Translator: Felipe S. Kai_

**Chapter I**

The cheerful laughter of a young woman invaded the yard of that house of a little village of China. Sha ran through the yard laughing and having fun with the beautiful cherry flowers that fell from the branches of the trees. Her bare feet danced and jumped over the green and soft grass that extended through almost the whole land.

"Come Cixi, let's have some fun!" The girl shouted, calling for her friend to play with her.

Cixi opened a wide smile, the girl's happiness was so contagious that she, even being always bitter and reserved, could not deny that cheerful call of her only friend. She put aside her sewing and ran towards the girl, they held each others hands and started spinning around the yard.

Cixi could not stand it and let go of her friend's hands, they both went to the ground, falling on their butt and laughing. The girl stood up with one hand on her butt and one of her eyes closed showing that the fell had gave her, beside the laughter, a purple mark.

"Sorry. I couldn't stand it! You're spinning too fast."

"No problem! I just think we'll have to sleep face down for sometime." she answered with the same happy tone. Cixi smiled at her affectionately.

"Thanks for being my friend, Sakura." she said in a serious and melancholic tone.

The girl walket towards her and stopped in front of her. She hugged Yuena tight, almost breaking her bones. "Thank you for being my friend, even if I'm daughter of a foreigner."

Sakura backed a little and they faced each other calmly. Actualy they were two survivors in a prejudiced and sexist world. Sakura was the daughter of a japanese officer that years before had invaded the village of Yuhan. Kinomoto Fujitaka ended falling in love with a beautiful green eyed chinese woman. Sakura was the result of the only night of love between the two lovers. Fujitaka returned to his army without knowing that he had left Nadeshico pregnant. He promissed to come back, but no one has ever heard about him again. Probably dead in some combat.

When the family knew the woman was pregnant, they tried everything to abort the baby, but the foetus was strong and came to this world, even against the family's wishes. As soon Sakura was born, she was abandoned at the orphanage of the village, and Nadeshico's family moved from the village forever, trying thus, to run away from the shame.

"Sakura! Cixi" Come help me to make lunch!"

The two girls turned around and stared at the fat and red faced lady. "'Coming, Mrs. Yang!" shouted Sakura running towards the woman. As soon as she was close enough to Yang's arms she felt a strong pinch on her arm.

"You and your habbit of playing around! You end up disturbing other peoples' work, Sakura. Let Cixi do her chores in peace! Different from you, she has the chance of having a good marriage and a better life!" The woman's tone was almost threatening. Sakura bit softly her lower lip not to groan in pain because of the strong pinch she received.

Without one more word the two girls got inside the house. That was the Yuhan orphanage. It's owner was a very good man called Yang Huakang. The house housed every orphan and abandoned girl of the village and of many other villages next to it. Cixi, inclusive, was not from Yuhan, but from a farther north village. They raised and educated all of them to be good mothers and perfect wives. With the money received from the girls who got married, they could raise the others. And so it was. Sakura had the impression that, sometimes, it was nothing but a market. A market of brides.

"Hello, Mr. Yang." she greeted as she passed through the man that was in the room teaching something for some girls.

"Hello, dear flower! I think we'll have a delicious meal!" He replied with a smile.

Sakura loved that man, he was the father she never had, or better say, he was the whole family she never had. Yang also liked her very much, not only for her food, but for her cheer. While many girls were sad and quiet, she was cheerful and enthusiastic, even knowing that her present and her future were not the best ones.

"Sure! I'll cook your favourite one!"

"You would if we had fish to cook." replied Mrs. Yang getting inside the room. Sakura got quiet and saw the smile of the man in front of her fade slowly. "We need to marry one of the girl soon! We've run out of money already!"

"You know the only girl who is old enough to marry here is Sakura, woman!" He spoke, standing up and walking through the room. Sakura's eyes widened slightly when she heard what the old man had said. The woman laughed loudly, almost exploding everybody's eardrums.

"Who would marry a Japanese?"

"She's not Japanese."

"She's the daughter of a Japanese officer! We'd have to pay someone to marry her!"

The girls glared at Sakura with a certain disdain. She did not want to get married, but at the same time she hated those pitied, disapproval and despised glares.

"She is beautiful. I'm sure if we take her to the matchmaker she will find a good husband for our dear Sakura." He said, trying to force a smile to the girl. Sakura smiled back to him, looking away from everybody.

"I'm going to make lunch." She said in a weak tone. She turned away and left, knowing that everyone were staring at her. As soon as the girl left the room, Yang faced his wife.

"Take her to the matchmaker tomorrow."

"But..."

"No buts... Sakura will find a good husband."

"Yang... she is japanese, we're in the middle of a war..." The lady shook her head, discouraged.

"Do as I say." He said in an energic tone.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Sakura was sleeping when she felt someone almost jump over her. It was Cixi, that was on her knees, staring at her. She led one hand to her mouth muffling a yawn and looked at her friend. "What are you doing here? It's late already."

"Tomorrow you'll be taken to the matchmaker. I came to wish you good luck." She said with a smile on her lips. "I hope you can find a handsome husband. Maybe a captain of the High Army of the Emperor!"

Sakura tried to smile. "Who knows?"

"There's a rumor that one of the emperor's troops are in Xangai. Maybe that's your great chance!"

"They're not in Xangai to marry, Cixi." She said softly. "Go to sleep, if Mrs. Yang finds you here all awake at this time, she will punish us."

"Yes, I'm going." Cixi kissed her friend's face. "Good luck."

Sakura saw her friend walking on tiptoe to her mattress that was a bit farther than her's. She laid down and turned aside, staring at the moon through the window. Tomorrow she'd go to Xangai to meet the matchmaker. She felt a little ache in her chest, she did not want to get married, she was happy living there. Despite the constant provocations of Mrs. Yang, who knows what she would go through with an unknown husband. In that house, she felt safe and protected. Take care of a husband, to get married, that was not what she wanted. She squeezed a little flower shapped pendant tied to a little necklace around her neck, that was the only thing she had from her mother.

"Buda look after me tomorrow..." She whispered before going back to sleep.

* * *

Xangai was a cheerful town, very differente from the peaceful and humble Yuhan. Sakura was sitting beside Mrs. Yan on the driver's seat of a carriage. The old woman did not have a very happy expression on her face, in fact, she barely looked at the girl at her side, maybe because she already knew her fate.

"We're here, Mrs." Said the boy as he stopped the donkey.

"Come on, Sakura." She said as she got down of the carriage. "Please, mind your manners and say nothing, just let me answer the matchmaker's questions."

Sakura nodded and got down after her. The boy helped her and smiled at her, who blushed quickly. The woman called her again and she ran.

They both stopped in front of a very cosy and beautiful little house. Yang clapped three times and awaited. In a few minutes an old woman appeared at the door. Although old, she still had nice features. "Well, but you brought me a pretty girl this time, Yang." She said, staring at Sakura.

"If that was all about her." Sighed Yang. "She's the daughter of a Japanese, Mrs Miyu. Realize the problem we've got here."

Mrs Miyu's face was not one of the best. She stared at Sakura deeply. Stepped to her and grabbed her face, forcing the girl to look at her. "She is really beautiful, I repeat. But her blood isn't pure at all."

Sakura would love to reply loud and clear that comment, but decided to remain quiet and silent. The woman let go of her face and faced Yang. "No good man will marry her. I'm sorry."

"I knew it..." She said, discouraged.

"I can't help this time, Yang."

Sakura already knew this would happen, but nevertheless, even expecting that, it was humiliating, up to a certain point, to know she wasn't worthy of a good marriage.

"What can I do with her?" asked Mrs Yang.

The old woman narrowed her eyes to the girl in a different way.

"We need a dowry and she's the only one old enough to get married."

"There's only one destiny to poor and pretty women, dear... Take her to Mr Quang Dan. He'll pay a good price for her."

"Yes... he'll pay."

Yang grabbed Sakura's arm fiercely and began to walk with her through the streets of Xangai. The girl did not understand who was the man, so that was how the matchmaker worked? She would just give the name of a groom and that was all?!

Sakura felt that the old woman squeezed her arm stronger and stronger. She was nervous, Sakura knew it by the slight tremble of the hand that hold her arm, forcing her to walk faster. The girl stared around, finding strange the dirty and marginalized they were entering.

"My groom lives here?"

"Shut up and keep walking."

Something was not right. They entered a dark alley, Yang sweated nervously. She raised the free hand and knocked on one of the doors of that place. The door opened in few seconds, creaking. Sakura widened her eyes seeing the shadows appearing behind the door. She knew what that place was.

"No..." She whispered, trying to get free her arm from Mrs Yang's hand. "I don't want it..."

"Shut up, girl! And come on! Do you thing I'm happy to come to a rotten place like this?"

The old woman pulled her strongly, passing through the door.

"Where's Mr Dan?'

A thin man pointed inside. Sakura felt violated only by the glare of that man on her. Yang pulled her even stronger, making Sakura almost fall down on the ground. And thus she was dragged to the referred man. Yang just let go of her to push her forward, making Sakura fall on her knees. At the moment she stood up she found herself facing a man surrounded by many women with their kimonos half opened. Involuntarily she tightened her clothes and hugged herself, staring frightened at everything.

"I thought you'd never bring me one of you jewels, old lady."

"I can't take her to the right path."

The man narrowed his eyes towards Sakura and grinned. "Oh, but just the most beautiful one I've ever seen you bring."

"Her blood is dirty."

"I understand... here this is not a problem." He grinned sarcastically.

"She doesn't have scars, I expect?"

"No and she's pure."

"Perfect."

"How much do you offer me?"

The man stood up and walked around the girl, kneeled down and looked closer at her. He raised one of his hands and touched the girl's face, who backed trying to get away from him. The man smiled at her. Then he got up and pulled her to him. "250 coins."

Yang widened her eyes. "Oh sir, thank you very much. Your offer is way to generous."

"Spare me from it, woman." He said, taking a small leather bag out of his pocket and handing it to her, that started to kiss his hands many times. "Now get out of my sight."

Yang turned away to leave. Sakura felt despair take her entire body. "Wait, Mrs Yang. Please, don't leave me here." Tears came out from the girl's green eyes. "Please..."

Yang did not turned back for a second at all. She left holding tight the bag in her hands and next her face. As soon as the door closed, Sakura felt her last hope gone away. Dan still hold her strong by the hand. The girl faced him with panic in her eyes.

"Scared?" He asked, amused.

"I want to leave."

He smiled at her. "There's no way you can leave, darling. You are now my property."

"I'm not married with you."

"You won't get married with nobody! Look at them..." He said gesturing to the many women in that room. "They're not married with anyone and never will be."

"I want to get away from here." She said again trying to free the hand he was holding.

"You wont go away. I'd love to make you mine. But your purity will bring me a good money tonight, so it's better to stay still. I'll recover the money I spent in one week with you." He said, pulling her to one of the rooms of that Hell.

* * *

Sakura wandered around the room she was locked in. Some women forced her to put a beautiful kimono all made of red silk with golden embroidery. They made her up just like a concubine, what turned her really mad. She looked like an encaged animal and the worst thing is that she felt like an animal. She was sold as an object to Mr Dan. If she kept thinking a few seconds more, she would explode of rage of Mrs Yang.

"Old bitch! She sold me as if I was a damn thing!"

She tried to open the windows once more forcing them but the disgusting Mr Dan had ordered to lock up all exits. Sakura could hear the loud laughter of men and women. She already knew it was late and she needed to come up with something to get out of there otherwise she would become one of those women.

She began to open the drawers of the furniture, looking for something that could help her to open a window. Despair started to grow inside her chest the more she heard the laughter in that house. Probably the Emperor's soldiers were having a lot of fun.

Inside one of the drawers she found a small hair slide carved with stones. Now that was her only weapon. She gazed at the long, sharp, pointed object and smirked. The door behind her opened giving her time to only hide the object inside her kimono.

"It's time, girl."

She turned around slowly and saw Dan. "Come along, I'm eager to find out how much they will pay for your purity."

"Disgusting." That was the only thing she could say when he grabbed her by one of her arms, dragging her to the main hall. Sakura stared at everything trying to make a plan in her mind, that worked fast. When she came to her senses, she was standing in the middle of the hall. Music had stopped and everybody were looking at her. Involuntarily she embraced herself in shame.

"Gentleman I have a lovely flower of China here with me! Pure as a virginal bride and more beautiful than all the concubines I have. I purpose for fun, and of course, for business, the auction of this rarity in my establishment."

There was a general whispering among everyone. Sakura had her eyes wide, showing even more the beauty of their emerald green. She barely knew, but the fear she showed incited the men even more.

"The auction starts with 50 coins!"

"60!"

"65!"

"100!" Shouted a man who should not even know what he was saying, drunk as he was. Sakura wanted to run away from there, Mas Dan wisely hold her strong by the arm.

"105!" Exclaimed another one

The bids kept growing and slowly stayed between only three soldiers that seemed to be more graduated. Dan did not stop smilling, seeing the value getting close more and more to that which he had paid for the girl.

"Sale for 150! On my count! One... Two..."

"300."

The value was proclaimed in such a way that on and all could hear. Dan widened his eyes, barely holding the smile. Everyone looked back and saw a young commander sat comfortably next to two whores.

"You sure of the value, Commander Li?"

The man grinned and got up. Walked slowly to the owner of the brothel, showing he was slightly drunk. Even then, his steps were somehow impressive. He stopped in front of Dan and threw a heavy small bag of money in his hands.

"I just hope your bitch worth."

"Oh yes, sir! I'm sure she'll worth every coin you spent, sir."

Li did not say anything, grabbed Sakura's arm just like Dan had done before and began pulling her towards the usual room. Both entered and Li closed the door behind him. Then turned around to face the girl, who observed carefully the place. She smiled slightly as she noticed the windows were not locked. The sound of Li's sword being put aside caught her attention. She turned abruptly to him, feeling her heart rushing.

"I paid 300 coins for you, I think you could at least help me to take off this armour, couldn't you?"

"I'm not a bitch." She muttered.

Li raised an eyebrow, looking at her. "No?"

"No."

He gave a sarcastic grin and kept taking off his clothes. Sakura widened her eyes when he took off his shirt and turned back with her cheeks burning. She had never seen a man without shirt before. She reached for the hair slide and felt it stick her skin. If that man tried any thing at all towards her she would defend herself.

_To be continued._


	2. Chapter II

**Flower of China**

_By Kath Klein_

_Translator: Felipe S. Kai_

**Chapter II**

Sakura stared at the window in front of her. She gave two steps towards it and stretched her arm, moving away the curtains. _"It's high! Damn! Don't know if I can jump…"_ Her mind was on a rush. However, she felt being embraced from behind. Two strong arms wrapped around her waist as she felt the warmth of a man's mouth kissing her neck. Her heart exploded.

"Don't be afraid." Li said on her ears with a hoarse voice, making Sakura, even though she did no want, to feel a shiver run all over her body.

"Don't!" she shouted, trying to break free from him.

Li turned her and hold her by her fists, facing the girl. "Look, you bitch, I don't stand for theatres."

"I've already said I'm not a bitch! Let go of me!" she pushed him strong, finally breaking away. Without thinking, she reached for the hair slide she had and pointed it to him. "I'm warning! I don't want to hurt you, but I'm not going to lay down with you." she said, trying to show credibility in her words.

Li crossed his arms over his naked chest and faced the girl in front of him. "I think the girls should've warned you I don't like this kind of acting." Sakura raised her eyebrows a bit. "I'm straight, girl. So don't you think this performance about the defence of your virginity will make me more excited. I'm not a man of fantasies. So lay down on the bed at once and spread your legs!"

Sakura felt such a sickness she almost put a hand over her stomach. But she hold even tighter her improvised weapon, raising it towards the man.

"I'm not a woman of acting, sir. I've said I'm not this kind of woman, if I'm here then it's against my will."

"Oh, for God' sake! This story again! I can't stand it any longer…" he said, totally without patience.

He moved a few steps towards the girl, who tried to attack him with her pseudo weapon. Still a hair slide in the hands of a girl was not even a threat to a commander of the Chinese army. Li dominated her in seconds and threw harshly her on the bed. He laid down upon her, unfastening her kimono as he kissed her lips. Sakura could not deny she was experiencing unique sensations but that was not what she wanted. When she felt Li trying to spread up her legs, she grabbed the first object she reached and hit fiercely his head. Li fell unconscious over her body.

Sakura needed a few minutes to ordinate her thoughts. She pushed Li's heavy body aside and got up from the bed, adjusting the opened kimono. She was panting. She looked at Li on the bed, his head bleeding, and a wave of terror ran through her body thinking she had killed him. She knelt down on the bed and put her head over the man's chest. She heard his heart and could not hold a smile. "He's only unconscious… Well done! I warned him I wasn't this kind of woman!" she said staring at his serious face.

She got up from the bed and ran to the window. She looked down and, as she had imagined before, it was really high. She gazed at the room again trying to think in an wxit.

"I'll have to make a rope myself."

She ran to the bed and, pushing the commander's body from one side another, she took off the sheets, tying them up. Still, it did not cover the distance she needed to go down. She slightly opened the door and looked through the bad-lighted corridor. One step at a time she went to the closer rooms to take more sheets. She entered the one that did not seem to have any noise and saw it empty. The moans were coming out from the toilet attached to the room. Quickly she ran to the bed, took off the sheets and ran again to the door. But then she stumbled on the soldier's armour. Sakura smirked. If she got out dressed as a concubine she would attract too much attention and Dan would probably find her in no time. But dressed as a soldier, as a man, they would never find her. She got the clothes and ran to the room where Li was still unconscious.

She tied up two sheets on the others and calculated that even now it still missed a bit. She would have to jump. Sakura took Li's sword and went to the toilet, where she cut her hair, making sure any single thread remained on the floor. She took off the kimono and with a piece of ripped sheet she wrapped and tightened her breasts, not letting their volume screw up her disguise. She dressed the soldier's clothes but had to take a few handkerchiefs she found in the drawers to fit in the boots. The kimono and the locks of her hair were forced into a pillowcase to be thrown away later in some alley.

She tied the tip of the sheet made rope on the window an was ready to go down when her eyes stared at Li again. She did not know why, but she felt bad. She shook her head thinking he was a disgusting pig like Dan. She stared at him again and lowered her gaze. "Damned remorse", she whispered.

She quickly walked to him as she took off the necklace she had around her neck. It was her only good. If he sold it he could have back some of the money he had spent with her. She put the object in his hand and gazed at the man's beautiful face.

"I don't like to owe anything to anybody. I'll pay the rest I owe you later." she said in a serious tone before turning away and finally jump the window towards freedom.

* * *

Li opened his eyes as when he felt the sunlight bothering them. He put a hand on his head that ached. He felt blood on his fingers.

"Crazy bitch…" he clenched his teeth recalling he had been hit on his head by something.

He got up from the bed, finding strange that it was without the red sheets. "Where's that mad girl?" he mumbled staring at the messy room. He felt something in his hand and looked at it, frowning at the delicate necklace with a flower shaped pendant. He stared at the pendant for a while with the other hand on his hurt head. "My money…" he thought running to his clothes and looking for the sack of coins that should be among them. He got really surprised to find it full. He was sure the girl had robbed him everything, but was wrong. He got up, his clothes in his hands, and walked to the window, where he saw the girl's way out.

"So it was true the girl didn't want to be a whore," he said, smirking. "Damn, she cost me 300 coins and an injury on my head."

He started dressing. She should be presenting himself along with his troops in two days, before the sunrise. He would surely be reproved if he were late. "Damn girl." he growled, as he got dressed. He put his armour and adjusted his sword on his back. He was ready to leave when his eyes focused on the flower-shaped pendant he had left on the bed. He caught it and stared at it for a few seconds, then he finally put it inside one of his pockets.

"Soldiers!" he called the men that were part of his troop. Many were still asleep. "Men! We are late to see the Emperor!" he spoke in a higher tone. There was a great rush, at a certain moment a soldier shouted he could not find his clothes, But Li ignored him. He had too much problems. Mr. Dan came to ask him where was his new jewel. Li answered the man, very angry because of the headache she had gave him, and did not talk any more. He got on his horse and called the men again, irritated.

* * *

Sakura wandered all night long. What would she do without money and without a home? Where would she go? What could she do? She put one of her hands on her stomach, feeling it ache and roar. She was too hungry. She sighed, thinking about the Hell she escaped and the Hell she was now. She had always thought Xangai was a prosperous and modern land, not such a dirty and marginalized place. It was then when she heard the sound of horses behind her. She tried not to look back. Many passed without paying attention on her.

"Hei, Soldier! What are you doing wandering alone?" a man shouted as he stopped his horse.

Sakura turned on him and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came to her mind. The soldier laughed out loud.

"Come, kid! I can tell you're still weak to drink." he said, offering his hand so she could get on his horse. Sakura would love to say she did not need it, but how would she say she was not a soldier if she was dressed as one of them? She got the man's hand and jumped on the back of his horse.

"Let's fly! We're late for the gathering of the troops with the Emperor! Commander Li is in a damn bad mood! It seems that bitch he paid was not as good as she seemed to be." the man said as he incited the horse to follow the huge troop. Sakura smirked, remembering how hard she had stroke the commander. He really should have woke up with a terrible headache.

The journey was not too long. Two days straight. Li did not give his men even a single moment of resting and only stopped for the animals to recover their strength, not the soldiers. That was good for Sakura, for anyone had time to notice there was a strange person on the troop. As soon as they arrived at the meeting she would find a way of leaving unnoticed.

The soldier who helped her was Yancha and was very kind, though he was chubby and a little bit filthy. He had terrible eating habits. When he offered her a piece of bread to eat she wanted to refuse it, but her stomach was roaring inside and she could not deny the food.

They arrived in front of the Emperor's castle and Sakura could not help but get amazed as she saw such magnitude. The troop entered the place just in time for the gathering. There were many troops. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers. There were so many men in a single place Sakura involuntarily hid behind Yancha. Li walked in front of them, with his usual superior look. Yancha had told her that the young man came from a family of important warriors of China. It was not surprise that though young he had manage to become a commander of a troop, even though his nomination was against the opinion of many generals of the Chinese army. Even being a stunning warrior, Li was way too arrogant.

Sakura leaped from the horse feeling her legs tremble. She had them all in pain. During the journey she had felt countless cramps, but tried to pretend the maximum she could nothing was happening.

"Never been in the palace, have you, kid?" asked Yancha, seeing Sakura watch amazed at the golden made buildings.

"No, sir. I've never been in a place as beautiful as this." she said, forcing her voice to be deep and rough.

"I've never been here too. The emperor is really a God."

Sakura nodded and together with Yancha she moved to join the rest of the troop. For what she had heard from the other soldiers, that day was going to be the one the commanders, generals, captains and all the other high officers met the emperor to trace a plan against the Huns invasion towards the Chinese lands. Li left the troop, entering the magnificent palace. The soldiers would have to register one more time to be re-managed in their troops.

Yancha dragged Sakura close to him to the queue. She looked to both sides and tried to find a way to get out of there, but the fat boy carried her everywhere. He did not have many friends, as it seemed. The way was to be in the queue in front of him. The sun was burning and that heavy and sweaty uniform made the girl feel dizzy.

"Name, boy."

Sakura widened her eyes and stared at a soldier behind a table looking at her. "Are you mute?" he smirked, seeing she was taking too much time to answer.

"Ah…" No name came to her mind. Yancha had always called her 'kid', so she had never minded to think about a male name. "Touya". It came at last as she remembered the name she had once heard somewhere.

"Tou… what?" Asked the soldier trying to write her name in a form.

"Touya." She repeated, still a bit uncertain.

"Never heard this name before…" Growled the soldier. "Family name."

Again Sakura stopped. She bit her lips thinking about a name to give him. "Kinomoto".

The soldier raised his eyes and gazed at her with a serious look. "Are you Japanese?"

"No, sir. I'm Chinese. My father was Japanese." she said believing that this way he would throw her out of the army and she would be able to run away from there.

"How old?"

"14."

The soldier wrote everything down and stared at the young boy for a while. The, he sighed. "Kinomoro Touya. Your number is 478. Keep it in your mind, for you shall be moved."

"Yes, sir." She answered, helpless, seeing her plan go away. She walked slowly, hearing Yancha answer the questionnaire. The girl smiled as she heard the soldier ask Yancha's weight and the fat boy babbling and trying to convince the soldier and himself that all that fat were muscles.

She sat and leaned against the wall, seeing lots of men and thinking about how she would sneak out of the trouble she got into.

* * *

Li was sat side by side with many other men dressed in eye-catching uniforms that showed their high power. He did not like that strategic meetings very much, for most of them never lead to anywhere. He had never found a single man good at military strategy. He sat comfortably on the armchair and leaned his head on his hand, still feeling the cut that girl had made a few days ago. He smirked, recalling her face. He could have been drunk but remembered the remarkable green eyes she had. That had been what had caught his senses to the girl. It was rare to find Chinese girls with such beautiful eyes. For a few moments he thought where she would be at that time. For what she had said, she was really against her will at Quang Dan's place. He felt a slight distress run across his chest as he thought that if the girl did not have such a strong temper, he would have raped her. He furrowed his brow slightly thinking that way. He could not deny he enjoyed sleeping with prostitutes and some naïve young ladies, but he had never forced them. Ever. Either seduce or pay for what he wanted. He sighed seeing the great hall through the corner of his eyes and listening to the mumbles the men made trying to come up with a solution concerning the best strategy to defeat the Huns whom had already destroyed many villages and were approaching more and more the lands of the Emperor.

All of a sudden, silence filled the hall, everybody shut their mouths and Li could hear the noise of chairs being dragged as many men kneeled down. His distraction thinking about the green-eyed girl did not let him notice that the Emperor had entered the room.

"Commander Li." The Emperor's voice caught his attention for he was still sat down. Li stood up and kneeled on the floor, his head bowed in respect.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"You were distracted, weren't you?'

The Emperor was an old and very wise man. He had a sharp and canny mind. Li admired him a lot. His father, before dying in a battle, was Emperor Wing's right arm. Therefore the young commander was very fond of Emperor Wing, and he knew Syaoran was a great warrior, just like Li Xang.

"Forgive me, your Majesty." he asked humbly.

Wing smiled at him and walked in his direction, asking the boy and the rest of the men to stand up to discuss what they would do. The old man was very worried about the slaughter that was taking place in China.

"So, gentleman? What will we do to protect our land and our people from the Huns invaders?" he said, halting in front of Li, who faced him.

"We've been discussing this, Emperor." said a General.

The emperor turned his gaze away from Li and began to walk towards his throne, where he sat and stared at everyone. He laid his arms on the throne's comfortable arms and sighed.

"What do you think, commander Li? What will we do?"

Wing asked him on purpose for he noticed he was distracted about the discussion that was happening. He took a deep breath, trying to get sometime to think about something clever to answer to the emperor.

"We're in war, son. We need to think about how to destroy the enemy or we will keep loosing lives. If your father was here he would not be distracted."

"Of course." He said in a serious tone. "Your Highness." He added a little bit against his will. Wing smiled at him and asked the men what they would do.

Li remained silent the entire meeting. He felt humiliated by the emperor who always saw him as a boy son of Li Xang and never as a man; never as Li Xiao Lang.

* * *

Sakura was eating a piece of meet that had been given to the soldiers who waited for their commanders. Yancha and the other men talked cheerfully about women and battles. She was indifferent. Her thoughts were what she would now that she was on her own. If she went back to Yuhan, she would be probably returned to Dan or she would be sold to another men, she had no place to go. A woman, alone, with no family and no husband, was nothing. Was like an abandoned dog left in the streets eating rests of food and garbage. She took a deep breath feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears. She tried to control herself. If she cried everyone would notice. Men do not cry, that was what she always heard.

At the end of the afternoon, the emperor appeared at the balcony alongside with powerful men of the army. Every soldier stood up to hear the words of their ruler.

"Gentleman, we are in war!" he began to speak with a lively voice in spite of his kind appearance. Sakura had the impression he looked like an old and caring grandfather. "Our empire is being invaded by impure men who steal our money, burn our lands and homes, kill our children and violate our women!" He stopped for a little while, waiting for the reaction of the huge crowd of soldiers and smiled slightly seeing they were interested. "We must protect our possessions! Our people's life!"

The soldiers shouted, excited with the fervent words of their leader. Even Sakura was already shouting with the men that scorned the invaders of China.

"We will move you into new troops. We shall win the Huns and show them we are a nation of strong and tough blood!" The soldiers shouted, agitated. Wing said a few more words and left with his trustworthy men. Soon a soldier started to proclaim numbers followed by the name of each commander. Sakura sat once more, yet she could feel that the soldiers were even more excited and quite ready for war.

"NUMBERS 1 TO 50. COMMANDER MING CHAN!" Shouted the soldier in charge of separate them.

The trooped were of fifty men each. Sakura looked and Yancha and asked what was his number.

"479! I'm in the same group as you, boy!" He answered, smiling and messing with his hair.

"But I was right behind you and they gave me number 314. I wonder how they are dividing the soldiers?" asked on of the men who came with Li's troop.

"I think they are dividing us by categories of strength. Answered Sakura, watching the men that were chosen walking to the place designated.

"Then I'm in the same category of a child?" Exclaimed Yancha, indignant.

"Who told you to be so fat!" One of the soldiers said, followed by laughs of many men.

"NUMBERS 450 TO 500. COMMANDER LI XIAOLANG!"

Sakura widened her eyes as she heard the name of her commander. It was too bad a luck! Yancha pulled her followed by some other soldiers to the north wing, where the young commander's domain was. Sakura walked against her will, thinking how she would run from the situation she was in. If Li ever suspected she was a woman, she would certainly be decapitated in public court.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter III

**Flower of China**

**Chapter III**

_By Kath Klein_

_Translator: Felipe S. Kai_

Li waked in circles. He had been literarily lowed from his position. Not officially, but now he would have to be the commander of a troop he knew to be the worst and weakest soldiers!

"Damn!" He shouted, trying to control the anger he was feeling from General Xue Lian. He had done that to humiliate him and the Emperor had agreed with him. The young man tried to control himself as much as he could, but did not accept the idea of being lowed. All because of the envy the General felt of the charisma Wing had for him. "Why did the Emperor agreed? Damn!" He growled again.

"Because you have to low down your pride a bit, Xiaolang." A soft voice came to him.

Li turned back and came to face Wing. He knelled down in respect towards the old man and bowed his head forward a little. Wing walked to him with his hands together, something he always did every time he was thoughtful. "Please, stand up, son."

Li obeyed quickly and raised his head, facing the old man who smiled tenderly at him. "You've been too much arrogant for your low age. When you reach mine, you'll see it's of any worth."

"Why did you accept that they lowed me?" He asked, hurt.

"You haven't been lowed from your position at all, Xiaolang. You're still a Commander of my army."

"I'm the Commander of a troop of worthless men!"

"You are the Commander of fifty of my soldiers." Replied the emperor.

"I know, but… I'm a warrior and not a teacher. I cannot waste my time teaching them to fight. China is being invaded! We're loosing lives, your Majesty."

"I know… You think I don't care about my people?"

"Forgive me, that's not what I meant." He answered, lowing his head. Wing smiled slightly watching the boy. He was impulsive, just like his dear friend, Li Xang.

"I want you to teach my fifty worst men to be my fifty best men ever. This is your mission. I would not trust this duty to any men that was not of my entire faith." He said in a calm and paused tone. "I could put you in the front line a make you fight against the Huns, but what can a single great warrior do? I need an entire army of excellent warriors."

"I understand…" He said in a low voice.

Wing laid his hand on the shoulder of the man in front of him. "I'm sure that soon I will have fifty of my best warriors at you command."

Li shook his head slightly, still a bit disappointed. He did not like to teach. "I'll do my best, your Majesty."

"I'm sure of it."

Wing moved away from him and walked slowly to the door. He turned back to the boy and made a small gesture with his head, giving him trust, before leaving him alone.

& & &

Sakura was beside Yancha and another soldier she had met called Yu Ban. He was quite young, should be about fifteen years old, but had an important look. Most of the soldiers would laugh at him for acting like a man when he barely had a beard on his face.

The men were right beside one another waiting for their Commander, which did not take long to come. He had a bad face. Li approached his new soldiers and got even more disheartened. He could clearly see Xue Lian had chosen carefully every rotten seed of the Chinese army and had put the bomb in his hands.

"I am Commander Li Xiaolang." he started speaking as he examined clinically his troop. "I don't even have to say I hate cowards, slow and lazy men. If any of you have these 'qualities' it would rather be better to give up to be part of the Chinese army and, specially, of my troop."

Li started to walk in front of them watching the face of each of them. Sakura began to freeze as she noticed that. What if he recognized her? It would be a dead end for sure!

"You should know well you have been considered the worst Chinese soldiers and I was chosen to turn you into true men, so you will not have rest until I consider all of you capable of facing the Huns equally!"

His voice was cold and arrogant. Yu Ban was beginning to get red from anger and shook slightly, longing for giving an answer to his Commander. "Snobbish guy…" He said in a low tone, but Sakura could hear him perfectly.

"What did you say, soldier!" Asked Li, walking to him and facing him.

"Nothing, sir." He answered.

Li grinned and faced him with disdain. "If you had said nothing I would not see you moving your lips, soldier. Don't play dumb around me." He said in a mockery way.

"I said I was eager to begging the training, sir."

Li knew that was a lie, but decided to forget it. "What is you name, boy?"

"Yu Ban, sir."

"I'd rather advise you to mind your tongue. You're not even old enough to be here."

Sakura felt that the boy were shaking in anger, but remained quiet. Li turned his gaze away from him and faced Sakura, who quickly turned around. Li frowned his forehead, first because there were too many kids on the army and second because he had the impression of knowing that soldier. He gave a step forward, watching Sakura who shook hard.

"What is your name?"

"Kinomoto Touya." She replied, forcing her voice to sound deeper. Li analysed her for a few moments.

"Japanese?

"No, sir."

Li made an even worst face; he did not like Japanese people. His father had been killed in a battle against them. He began not to like the green-eyed boy. "Do we know each other already, soldier?"

"No, sir."

Yancha found the answer strange, but remained silent. Li shook his shoulders thinking he actually did not know that kid, but he had the impression of having seen him before. He resumed walking, watching and groaning in front of the soldiers.

As soon as he went away, Sakura could not help but let out a sigh of relief. Her nervousness was palpable; she looked quickly to Yancha, who looked forward. Surely he noticed something wrong. She thought that later on she would have to manage the situation.

After Li said everything, the men leaped on the back of their horses and left to the encampment where they would start the training. A soldier asked Sakura why she still did not have a horse and the clever girl answered the same as Ban: she was enlisting in the army for the first time. The soldier gave her a horse, not as beautiful as Li's and the others, but a good horse. The problem was that she had never ridden before on her own. She had travelled with Yancha the whole time, riding his horse.

She walked slowly to the horse and smiled weakly to it. She stretched her arm to the animal.

"We have no time to waste, Kinomoto!" Shouted Li, noticing the boy did not get on the horse. "Don't tell me you cannot ride!"

Sakura did not answer. She watched Yancha getting on his horse and narrowed her eyes, seeing every single movement of the soldier. If he could, she could control an animal as well. She lifted her leg, put it on the support; in an impulse she leaped on the horse and raised her body to sit properly on the back of the animal. It was not so hard, she thought to herself. But the animal walked forward making the girl swing and loose her balance, falling on her butt on the ground. There was a general laughter and it made the girl's blood boil inside her body. She got up decided and, even in pain, she walked right to the animal to get on it again. But this time, she grabbed firmly the reins.

Li and the other soldiers looked at her curiously. It was clear she could not ride a horse. Ban approached her on his horse. "You need to control it by the reins, Kinomoto."

"I know. Let me be, I know what to do." She said harshly, making the men laugh at her temper. Li approached the two boys gazing at them disheartened. The army was now recruiting children, he thought. "That's all I've ever wanted, to be the babysitter of two brats!" He growled, disgusted.

"Come on with that!"

Sakura stared at him with rage. She would love to say an insolence to that snobbish man. She pulled the reins of her horse and began to try to control it better, but the animal was quite wild. Li lost his patience and started to ride to the encampment. The men began to follow him, as Sakura tried desperately to control the animal. Ban tried to guide her, as Yancha would just laugh madly at the situation.

Sakura could only control the animal when the troop was quite distant. Yancha and Ban walked at her side, sending instructions of how pulling the reins and control the horse properly. In little time she started to get it.

"You think you can run, kid?" Asked Yancha.

"Sure!"

"Then let's go! Cause the commander is just crazy to get rid of us." Said Ban, inciting his horse to run. Sakura did the same and in spite of the initial fear, she controlled the animal easily. She could not restrain a smile thinking what she could do as a man. A woman would never have permission to ride. Maybe the idea of being a soldier was not so bad after all.

Li turned his face hearing the strong noise of hoofs behind him. He frowned his eyebrow slightly watching the three soldiers running towards the troop. He thought that maybe it should not be so hard to teach something to those men. He narrowed his eyes on Kinomoto and noticed that regardless of being a beginner, he was not so bad in riding. As soon as the three soldiers reached the troop they could slow down to the pace it followed.

"Good you learnt to ride, kid." Said Yancha, panting a little from the race.

"It's not hard!" She exclaimed, happy.

"Hard will be endure this commander." Said Ban, watching his leader riding a beautiful steed in the distance.

"He is strict, but an excellent warrior." Said Yancha, who looked at Sakura serious, recalling what she had said to Li. "Were you not from commander Li's troop, kid?"

Sakura thought about what to say to the fat one. She took a deep breath. "No. I had just enlisted and I was going towards the meeting with the emperor." She used the same story as Ban again.

"Ah, that's why you were walking alone!" He exclaimed in understand. "I thought you were part of the troop, but had drank too much."

"As I was heading the same place as you…"

"Now I understand why commander Li did not know you."

"You did not know the men from your troop, Yancha?" Asked Ban in a mockery tone.

"I had no time to see details!" He said, trying to defend himself. "I'm a mighty warrior, my job is to fight not to socialize." He added, annoyed.

Ban laughed at the lie of the fat boy and Sakura also could not help it, but the two of them stopped as soon as Li gazed at them in disapproval.

The place of training was distant and quite irregular. Li stopped and asked the men to get off of the horses and start to set the tents to sleep and some others of common use. Sakura almost died to set her tent and needed, even against her will, the help of the other soldiers. Everyone treated her as a child. What bothered Ban, actually helped Sakura. Different from the boy, she could not be so proud, she did not have any idea of how to do everything. She thanked for all the help and learned to do her chores, even if by the hardest ways. As soon as everything was settled, Li ordered the men to go to bed. On the next day their training would begin.

& & &

It was night yet when she heard the noise outside her tent. Sakura woke up and rubbed her eyes. Soon Yancha's face showed up at the opening of her tent, calling her. The girl said she was going and got up. Crawling, she got at the place where the men were gathered. Li would begin their training now. The Chinese commander stared discouraged at the group of fifty men in front of him. They were either too thin or too fat. Some did not even have beard on the face. He would surely have more work than he had previously thought. He needed fist to give them physical preparation and there was only one way to do that.

"Let's run, soldiers!" He shouted, starting to run and being followed by the men.

Sakura looked around her; she was so sleepy that her will was just go back to her tent and sleep some more.

"Wake up, Kinomoto!" Exclaimed Ban, forcing her to run after Li. In half an hour of running around the huge camp, Sakura already started to pant hard. At a time, she could not take it anymore and fell on her knees, exhausted, just like Yancha, who sweated like a pig. Li commanded the rest to keep running and went to the couple.

"If you want to be soldiers you'd rather learn to have persistence. Up you two and keep running!"

Sakura got up against her will and hold out Yancha's hand, pulling him so that he could stand up. "We're going." She replied, annoyed.

"Kinomoto." Called Li before they could go too far. "You ran ten more turns after the hundred I asked."

Sakura's eyes widened, staring at Li's mockery face. "Why?"

"Because I want and I am your commander. You shall learn not to answer to me."

Sakura stared at him with mortal anger. She swallowed and resumed running, followed by Yancha. As soon as everyone accomplished all the one hundred turns, they fell on the floor with their tongues out of their mouths. Many drank water desperately trying to win the weariness from the lack of physical preparation. Sakura kept running even feeling her legs tumbling down. Li was side by side with her, for him that was just like a cooper.

"Just one more missing, Kinomoto." He spoke sardonic.

She did not answer. It was not that she did not felt like it, but she was too tired for that. As soon as she finished the task, she fell on her knees on the ground, trying to control her hard breathing. For some minutes it seemed like her heart would just pound out of her mouth. She leaned forward feeling her stomach turning and an immensurable sickness. Li raised her head, which was low, staring at the floor.

"Keep your head up, soldier, or you'll throw up."

Ban approached the girl and offered her a bottle of water. She drank all of it with relief but the sensation of sickness took a time to go away. After a few moments Li commanded them to stand up. He threw on the ground two objects made of leather straps attached to large round-shaped weights. He took his bow and an arrow, backed a little and aimed on the top of a high trunk that was part of the training field. He pulled the bow and released the arrow, which got stuck on top of it.

"I want you to climb up with these weights on your arms, right to the top of this trunk, and grab the arrow!" He said, looking at the men. "One who do this will be my right arm." He gave a few steps back and pointed the first man to try. He seemed the strongest of them all.

The soldier went there, put both weights on his shoulders and started climbing. Li watched in silence. The soldier had already climbed half of the way but could not stand it and slipped right to the ground.

Li pointed to the second one who seemed strong enough. And this one had the same end as the other. And so it went on. Until it was left only those who Li was sure that would never make it. He sat under the shade of a tree, totally disheartened, as he would only point the soldiers one by one. At the end there was only Sakura and Yancha left. Li stared at the fat one and thought that even without the weights he would not succeed. Then he looked at Kinomoto and thought he had barely survived the cruelty he had done before.

"I give up. You're such weak idiots." he groaned, irritated with his dumb army.

"There are two soldiers missing, sir." said the first one to try. "After them I know I'll be able to try again and retrieve the arrow."

Li raised an eyebrow, staring at the soldier in front of him. The commander really thought that he would probably be the one to do it. "Kinomoto, it's your turn." He said harshly, without looking at her.

Sakura gave a few steps forward and got the weights. She could barely raise them. She looked up and saw the arrow. The girl longed for reaching it only to see her commander's face twist in fury. She gazed at the weights again, thinking that if she tried to do the same as the other she would not make it, in addition she was a woman after all. She looked at the leather straps and thought she could use them to climb. The girl smirked as she had an idea.

She tied the weights one another and put them around the trunk. Then, she pulled back strong and verified they were well attached. Some men approached, curious. Li shook his shoulders, thinking the young boy had gone mad.

Sakura started climbing as a woodcutter. Using the friction between the leather and the trunk and with the help of her legs, she slowly began to win the empty space. When she reached the half of the way up, the men started to shout, enthusiastic, encouraging her to reach the arrow. Li stood up and without looking away from Sakura he walked forward, serious.

Sakura reached the arrow. She sat on the top of the trunk and as soon as her hands were free she pulled the arrow strongly and threw it at Li's feet. The Chinese man looked at the weapon stuck on the floor and raised his head, smiling and watching the boy. The men laughed and shouted in surprise at the kid for being able to accomplish the task. Yancha shouted, saying that if it was his turn he would have made it.

"Sir, that is not fair. The boy used the straps as a support and not only to hold the weights on his arms." Said the first soldier, approaching Li.

Li turned around, facing him. "The straps were there, you could use them as you found better. The boy used his mind, he accomplished the task with pride." Li turned at Sakura again, who smiled, looking at the ground as she rested. Her eyes fell upon the Chinese commander, who watched her, smiling slightly. Maybe he did not believe she had carried out the task after so many men had tried.

"I imagine his face if he knew I'm a girl…" She spoke low, only to God and herself. She breathed hard and got down, hearing the calls from Yancha and the others.

As soon as she touched the ground, many came to praise her. But all of them moved away when Li approached. He halted in front of her. "It seems you'll be my right arm, Kinomoto. You're not one who I thought to be a second commander, but you demonstrated that strength is not always a way of victory."

Sakura remained in silence, only facing him. For a few seconds she felt proud of herself, a pride she had never experienced before when she lived at Mr. Yang's house along with the girls. There she was a man, she was finally a human being, not an animal. "I will honour the responsibility given to me, sir." That was her answer. Li smirked and began to walk, pointing some soldiers to cook that day's lunch.

_To be continued._


End file.
